84 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 378 



of growth for exposure to winter and artificially controlled temperatures. 



A heavy application of nitrate of soda in early May produced early 

 rapid growth. Two applications of stable manure and late cultivation 

 produced late, poorly matured growth. Plants receiving cultivation with- 

 out fertilizer, showed a somewhat greater average growth than those in 

 sod and also exhibited well-filled textures, while those in sod were ex- 

 cessively straggly and weak in appearance. 



Growth measurements were taken representing average maximum 

 terminal growth of from five to twelve plants of each species. A study 

 of the amount of winter injury by (1) leaf count and (2) percentages of 

 dead terminal growth with (3) cross sections of the material under the 

 microscope will furnish indications of the degree to which growth con- 

 ditions resulting from the different treatments may be related to winter- 

 killing. 



Powdery Mildew on Garden Phlox. (Harold S. Tiffany, Waltham.) 

 Control sprays were not appHed until mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum) was 

 fairly plentiful on the plantings of Phlox paniculata. Materials tested in- 

 cluded those used in 1939 and one additional. Again, Hammond's Cop- 

 per Solution, leaving no residue, and Bordeaux Mixture, leaving a some- 

 what objectional residue, gave best results. The use of Bordeaux 1-1-50 

 gave just as good results as the 2-2-50 used in the test in 1939. In 1941 a 

 spray program from early spring to blooming time will be tried. 



DEPARTMENT OF OLERICULTURE 



Grant B. Snyder in Charge 



Variety Studies. (W. H. Laclmian and G. B. Snyder.) These studies 

 are conducted in cooperation with the Rhode Island and Connecticut 

 Experiment Stations, to ascertain the influence of the various climatic 

 and edaphic factors upon several strains and varieties of snap beans, 

 celery, cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, and sweet corn. This concludes the 

 third year of a five-year project so the data have not been summarized. 

 Included in the vegetable plantings was Summer Pascal celery, which 

 performed well and was of excellent quality. The Butternut pumpkin 

 of tlie cushaw group yielded very well and was of high quality. 



Shape Index Studies of Tomatoes. (W. H. Lachman.) This work has 

 been continued with eight varieties of tomatoes, to determine the effect 

 of climatic factors in modifying the shape of tomato fruits. Although 

 data have been collected for four years, it is felt that more information is 

 necessary before the results are summarized. 



Tomato Breeding. (W. H. Lachman and CJ. 15. Snyder.) The l)reed- 

 ing work with tomatoes has been confined to the problem of in- 

 corporating the uniform ripening character into varieties which otherwise 

 are very desirable. This has been relatively simple to accomplish because 

 the uniform ripening character is evidently recessive in nature. ]Vfany 

 lines have been obtained which are breeding pure for the uniform ripen- 

 ing character; but the self-pollination, which is necessary to obtain pure 

 lines, has caused the selected progenies to segregate for other characters. 

 The main problem now is the selection of lines which are stable for all 



